Mowing-machine.



S. L. CLUETT.

MOWING MACHINE. APPLlCATlON FILED MAY 13. 19M,

Patented. July 24, 1917.

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SANFORD L. CLUETT, OF HOOSICK FALLS,

NEVJ YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WALTER A. WOOD MOWING & REAPING MACHINE COMPANY, OF HOOSICK FALLS, NEW YORK, A COB.-

PORATION OF NEW YORK.

MOWING-I/IACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24%, 1911?.

Application filed May 13, 1914. Serial No. 838,382.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SANFORD L. CLUn'rT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoosick Falls, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements and consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may behad to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form part of this specification. Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of a mowing machine embodying my invention.

Fig; 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same taken on the broken line 22 in Fig. 1.

Certain objects of the invention are to adapt the cutter-bar to more readily pass over ordinary obstructions in its path; and to provide proper friction between the traction wheels and the ground under difficult working conditions.

The modern mowing machine to which the invention particularly relates has a laterally projecting cutter-bar pivotally mounted at its inner end upon an axis extending longitudinally of the machine, which permits the bar to be vertically oscillated.

The member upon which the inner end of the cutter-bar is so pivotally mounted is an angular frame formed by the drag-bar which extends transversely of the machine, and the push-bar which extends from the point of junction of one of its ends with one end of the drag-bar, whereat the cutter-bar is pivotally mounted, obliquely rearward, the other ends of said push-bar and drag-bar being pivotally mounted upon the mainframe of the machine on an axis extending longitudinally of the machine.

Both the cutter-bar and the cutter-barsupporting frame are thus capable of rising and falling movements, which enables the cutting mechanism to adapt itself to inequalities in the ground over which it passes.

In machines of this type as heretofore constril ltcd; t e re pe e axes p n which the cutter-bar and cutter-bar-supporting frame were so pivotally mounted have extended in substantially horizontal lines longitudinally of the machine; and when the forward movement of the cutter-bar was resisted by an obstruction, such resistance was in lines parallel with said axes.

In carrying out my invention in preferred form, I pivotally mount both the cutter-bar and the cutter-bar-supporting frame upon axes which are inclined upwardly and forwardly longitudinally of the machine.

In a machine having said axes so inclined, the rising movement of the cutter-bar, as well as the rising movement of the cutterbar-supporting frame, is a resultant of an upward movement and more or less rearward movement in accordance with'the degree of inclination of the respective axes; and when the cutter-bar meets an obstruction which offers resistance along horizontal lines to the forward movement of the cutterbar, such resistance tends to force the cutterbar rearwardly with a resultant tendency to raise the cutter-bar, thus permitting the cutter-bar to ride more freely over such obstruction.

hen the inner end of the cutter-bar or the shoe whereby it is pivotally mounted "upon the cutter-bar-supporting frame, meets a similar obstruction, the obstruction tends to force said frame rearwardly with a resultant tendency to raise the frame, which causes the shoe and cutter-bar to more freely ride over such obstruction.

Referring to the drawing wherein the invention is shown in preferred form, 1 represents the main frame of the machine mounted upon traction-wheels, 2.

The cutter-barsupporting frame comprises the drag-bar, 3, and the push-bar, 4.

The drag-bar is pivotally mounted upon the frame at 5, and the push-bar is pivotally mounted upon the frame at 6, the pivotal connection at 5 being at a higher level than the pivotal connection at 6, whereby the cutter-bar-supporting frame is pivotally mounted upon the mainframe, 1, upon an axis extending longitudinally of the machine as shown by the broken line AA in Fig. 1, which axis is upwardly and forwardly inclined as indicated by the broken line A'A in Fig. 2.

Upon the swinging end of the frame formed by the drag-bar and push-bar is mounted a hanger 'or yoke, 7, upon the re-" spectivearms of which the main shoe, 8, of the cutter-bar is pivotally mounted, at 9 and 10, upon an axis which extends longitudinally of the machine, as indicated by the broken line, BB, in Fig. 1, which axis is upwardly and forwardly inclined, as indicated by the broken line BB in Fig. 2.

The convergent ends of the pushbar 4;, and the drag-bar 3 are secured in fixed rela tion to each. other by a suitable casting through which the drag-bar 3, projects to form a pivotal connection for the yoke or hanger 7.

A broken-away portion of the cutter-bar is shown at 11, the cutter-bar being fixed upon the main-shoe, 8. i

The cutting mechanism is operated by means of a pitman, 12, connected with a crank, 13, on a crank-shaft, 14, which crank: shaft isoperated by connections with the neighboring traction-wheel, 2, in'the usual manner.

The butter-bar and the cutter-bar-sup porting frame can be raised and lowered by hand iii the usual manner.

For convenience of illustration, however, I have omitted from the drawings the mechanisms for so operating them.

Constructed as shown and as described above, the machine will readily pass over 'many obstructions, to pass which with a ma,-

chine 11nade as formerly would require the drifter to raise the cutter-bar or the cutter barsupporting frame by hand 'Ihaye also ascertained that by upwardly and forwardly inclining theaXes of the cut -v ter-bar and the cutter-bar-supporting frame, as above described, I can practicallyovercome the tendency of the traction-wheels to v rise from the ground due to the forward pull. ofthe horses upon the main-fran1e when the machine is operated in heavy tangled grass which tends to draw the cutter-bar down toward the ground,

Under such conditions in the use of this type of mowing machine as formerly con structed, theforward pull of the horses tended to exert a lifting forceupon the traction-wheels, which so reduced the fric tionbetween said wheels and the ground that e the v traction-wheels would become in oper- Gppies of this, patent may be obtained for ative to drive the cuttingmechanism, and the machine would become stalled.

My invention tends to overcome this loss offriction between the traction-wheels and the ground, and under certain conditions may increase such friction.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In .a mowing-machine, and in combination, a mainframe, a cutter-bar-supporting frame pivotally mounted upon the mainframe on an axis extending upwardly and forwardly longitudinally of the machine duringits normal operation, and a cutterbar pivo-tally mountedupon said cutter-barsjupp ortin'g frameupon an axis extending upwardly and forwardly longitudinally of the machine when said cutter-bar is inits normal cutting position. i

g 2. In amowing-machine, and in combination, a mainfframe, drag-bar pivotally mounted at one end "upon, the main-frame, a push-bar piyotally mountedat its rear end upon themain-frame in' rear of and ata lower level than said piyotally mounted end of the drag-bar and, extending obliquely forward toward'the outer end of thedr'agg bar, a hanger [connected at at the outer ends of. said push-bar and drag-banahd a cutterbar haying a main-shoe pivotally mounted upon 'said hanger on an aXis extending upwardly and forwardly longitudinally of the machine when said cutter-bar is in itsnor: mal cutting position. i

3. In a mowing-machine, and in combination, a main-frame, traction wheels upon,

which said .1nainframe is mounted, a cutterbar-supportlng frame pivotally mounted upon said main-frame on an axis extending upwardly and forwardly longitudinally of the machine during its normaloperation, a cutter-bar pivotally mounted upon said cutter-bar-supporting frame on an axis extending upwardly and forwardly longitudinally of the machine when ,saidcutter-bar is-in its normal cutting, position, and tractionwheel-actuatedfcutting mechanism,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand thistth day of May, 191%.C V

' SANFORD, L, CLUETT WVitnesses: V

HENRY 'VV. HUDSON, WM. PQRT AN.

WashingtompaG, 

